ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603040042
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LEXINGTON
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former Vice President Dan Quayle has endorsed U.S. Sen. John Warner's bid for re-election.
``He is a man of great leadership ability,'' Quayle said of his former Senate colleague. ``He is a man of character who has made a difference in the U.S. Senate.''
Quayle held Warner's hand aloft as the two men stepped out of Washington and Lee University's Lee Chapel, where Robert E. Lee is buried.
Warner, seeking his fourth term, faces a challenge for the Republican nomination from former Reagan Administration budget director Jim Miller.
Quayle and Warner were among the speakers at W&L's mock presidential convention. Warner is an alumnus.
Although Quayle largely has dropped out of sight since the Bush-Quayle ticket was defeated for re-election in 1992, he retains close ties to the Christian right, a force in Republican politics.
The endorsement could be helpful to Warner, who angered many members of the Christian right by refusing to endorse Mike Farris in the race for lieutenant governor in 1993 and actively opposing Oliver North in the race for the Senate in 1994.
A spokesman for Miller said he was not surprised at the endorsement because Quayle and Warner served together in the Senate.
``What is puzzling to us is that John Warner's record, particularly in the area of abortion, is contrary to everything Vice President Quayle stands for,'' said Bill Kling, Miller's press secretary. ``This leads us to believe that it is an endorsement growing out of the old-boy network of the establishment.''
Asked to elaborate, Kling said Warner voted in favor of abortion rights at least 12 times, particularly in taxpayer funding of abortions.
Asked about this, Warner said he generally has opposed abortions. He said the federal funding votes were to provide funding for the military.
Introducing Quayle, Warner gave the former vice president credit for standing for family values long before that issue became popular.
``He took a stance proudly and stood like a stone wall,'' Warner said, alluding to Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson who taught at nearby Virginia Military Institute.
Quayle described Warner as his mentor. Quayle was elected to the Senate in 1980, two years after Warner. The two served together on the Armed Services Committee.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB